Feels like home
by angelinathestrange
Summary: FORMER MEMORY, just made a few changes including the title Set after season 3, basicly Claire's memory. Let me know what you think, I reply to reviews! Criticism is welcome P
1. Goodby my Lover

**Inspired by James Blunts awesome "Goodbye my Lover"…**

**Depressing but sooo beautiful =)**

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2014:

Claire lay on her bed, looking at the picture that still made her feel melancholic. She touched it and then she put it back into the box. A box she had packed to forget about everything that was inside of it. All that bittersweet memories she didn't want to think of then. She could still picture everything that happened, the day she decided to forget.

***

September 2008:

It was a beautiful day in early fall, after a disastrous summer. The sun was shining on the first leafs to fall of the trees in the garden of the Petrelli house. Everyone was silent these days. Most of them remained in a state of shock after what happened.

Claire spent these days sitting in her room, starring out the window distractedly. It had been the right thing... but still she felt like what she had done was wrong. At that time, the thought of Peter hit her like thousand icicles.

She had bought a box and wrote "Do not open" on it in big letters. Everything that had something to do with it was now inside that box, right in front of her. Claire tried to resist opening it, but she seemed to be masochistic enough to open it at least once a day. She had also put her favourite CD in the box yesterday, because she couldn't stand the sound of James Blunts "Goodbye my Lover" any longer. She would probably have been able to play it on the piano herself.

Earlier that day, Nathan had come in to talk, it was one of his rare visits since he'd moved to D.C. He had been a bit distant after finding out what had happened, but that had changed soon: He had actually started treating her like his daughter.

After he left, Claire decided that the whole thing needed a final stroke. She couldn't leave her new home she had barely got used to yet, but she could hide her memories. She wouldn't have to see Peter anymore, just one more week and he was going off to Washington to stay with Nathan for some time. The time she had last seen him to now seemed like forever.

Peter had been coming round her room several times, but Claire wouldn't let him in. He had even stayed in front of her door half a day, but then he gave up. He knew it was the best to give her some time, so she could handle things until she was ready to talk to him.

But the day she bought the box, she was ready to talk.

Claire stood up and put the box under her bed. Walking down the corridor to his room felt awkwardly familiar even after all those days of separation.

She knocked on the wooden door, preparing to meet him. The door opened rapidly and in the doorway stood a washed out and tired looking Peter.

"Claire!"

His eyes widened. He just stood there looking at her. Peter had never felt so much joy before that moment. When he finally stepped aside and let her come in he was still gazing at her like she'd been the 8th world wonder. Claire set down on the edge of his bed, without saying a word, only breathing in the well-known smell of his room.

Neither of them knew what to say.

"I'm sorry…" was everything Peter managed to press out after realizing that this was certainly not a dream.

Silence filled the room again and Claire was fighting against the tears that filled her eyes.

"I should have", Peter started again "... I mean I shouldn't have...I…"

"_We_ shouldn't have, after all it takes two. I don't need to be protected anymore."

That sounded more annoyed than Claire had wanted it to.

He took a deep breath.

"I know."

"So, Matt told you." She avoided saying something specific.

"Yeah." So did he.

She nodded slightly and looked around the messy room. Peter was still standing next to the closed door.

"I'm sorry I didn't talk to you for so long."

"I had to face the truth on my own" she added in her thoughts, aware that he'd heard it.

He sat down next to her, but still facing her.

"How do you feel?"

"I'm... It's getting better."

"I know this is the last thing you need to hear now…but I just had to make sure you know that I still love you, Claire."

She closed her eyes…

"I know."

… And let herself cry all the tears she'd been holding back. He knew it might won't make her feel better, anyway he took her into his arms. Claire didn't protest, she felt save in his arms. She leaned in and felt his chin resting on her head.

They stayed like that for moments, hours, maybe days.

After Claire had left, emptiness filled Peter's room. A month ago she'd left with a smile and he'd known she would come back.


	2. The Nicest Thing

**Inspired by Kate Nashs lovely, but heart-breaking "The Nicest Thing"**

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End of June 2008:

Claire had tried to avoid this. She really had tried hard. Every time they happened to be left alone by the others, she found an excuse to leave. But today she hadn't known and then it was too late.

Claire found herself sitting in the living room with Peter. Actually she was sitting on the carpet and unnecessarily reorganising some of her stuff. She'd just needed something to do.

Peter was sitting on the sofa, the sketchbook in his hand and tried to focus on the future, like he always did. His black hair was falling in his face, she loved the gesture when he put it back behind his ear. After he came back from Ireland and recovered from his amnesia he'd decided to let grow again. It was what she had suggested.

"Claire!"

"Yeah?"

"Ehm your hand…"

When he mentioned it her hand was already covered with blood. She'd been distracted by her thoughts, so she hadn't noticed that she'd put her hand on the pieces of a broken glass.

"I'm sorry, I dropped my glass. You're okay?" Peter stood up and bend down to collect the glass.

"I'm fine!" She answered while watching her hand healing.

"Peter, there's a bit of blood on your forehead." Claire tipped on her own forehead not aware of using her bloody hand.

"Thanks." Peter smiled at her.

He reached out to wipe away the blood on her face and rested his hand on her chek.

They were close now.

Too close.

Claire felt a tension, she didn't know whether it had been there before without her noticing it it, or if their closeness had caused it.

They moved their faces towards each others.

"Peter" Claire whispered and bit her lips, with regard to what she was about to say.

"We can't." She could slightly feel his breath in her face, all she longed was so close.

"I know." She closed her eyes. Peters hand was still resting on her cheek.

His lips touched hers softly, as if he was asking for her permission.

Their kiss was sweet… with a bitter aftertaste.

As he opened his eyes again she was starring at him bewildered. He could hear her battling against herself. Peter could feel the same battle going on inside of him.

The mix of emotions was too much for Claire to bear. She jumped up and disappeared into the night. He heard the front door slam.

She wandered for a while throw the streets of New York. She felt like he'd been following her, but she insisted that it was her imagination tricking her.

She had finally gotten what she'd wanted for so long, but why did she feel so… empty and yet so overwhelmed by all of the emotions that were followed by their first kiss. Claire was confused, no she was about to loose her sanity. She felt happiness, joy, guilt, doubt, despair, disgust, hate and… love.

But she couldn't deny that she wanted to be with him, more than anything else. The only thing that held her back was their relation. They were related. The same blood that flew through her veins was also flowing in his veins. That was an unbreakable barrier, for any feelings that settled beyond family. That was the reason she'd tried to avoid being alone with him.

Claire was standing in front of the door again.

It was late. It was cold too. She hadn't noticed her goose bumps yet. Then she felt something light touching her upper arm. She'd known he was there, she hadn't imagined it.

"Peter I just want to be alone for a while, I need to think about… things."

"I couldn't let you walk through New York in the middle of the night."

"It's not like anything could've happened to me."

"You're cold."

Claire looked at Peter.

"_I love you."_

How he wanted to hear her saying those words she was thinking.

Without any explanation she grabbed his hand and pulled him inside.

"Claire, what-"

"I just think we'd better talk somewhere more private."

"Okay."

He followed her to his room.

Peter offered her a seat but she didn't want to sit down.

"Claire, I know how you feel, I feel the same. But I need you to tell me what you really want. I mean do you want to be with me, although it's not right?"

"Is this an ultimatum?"

"No, no it's only..."

"There's no need for such a decision! We shouldn't do it even if we want to and if there was anything to decide why me?"

"There is a need for such a decision! I can't stand it anymore, I know neither of us should even think about this but I need to know what you want. I f you don't want to be with me I'll go, but if you want me to stay, I don't think we're able to ignore this."

Claire felt butterflies in her stomach when the word "we" fell.

"I can't pretend you don't exist, Peter. I don't want you to go, but…"

"So…?"  
"So what? It's wrong! Peter, it's wrong! You're my uncle!"

"Still we love each other!" She looked at him. He reached out for her and pulled her close to him. Claire rested her head on his chest.

"I know you do, Claire."

And while tears made their way down Claire's cheeks, he kissed her on her forehead and then their lips met again passionately.


	3. Carry you home

**Inspired by James Blunts latest single "Carry you home"**

**Apparently only by the first lines of the song =P**

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2014:

There was a knock at the door, a very energetic one.

"Come in!" Claire said, loud enough for Nikki to hear.

"Hey! You're ready?"

"Guess so. Are you coming downstairs yet, or do you need some more time?"

Nikki was obviously happy, she had every reason to be. After she was able to control Jessica, she moved into the Petrelli House with D.L., Micah and the others. You could still see that happiness now.

"Give me a minute."

Although didn't mean to remember, the day everybody found out about Peter and her, was inseparable connected with Nikki.

***

August 2008:

Claire had cried a lot the past two hours and there was no end in sight. She just couldn't calm herself down, let alone stop herself from crying. What had happened was just too horrible. She wouldn't be able to tell anybody, not even the person, who had the most to do with. So all she did was lying on her bed and crying into her pillow as silent as she could. Claire could even picture herself being happy about the news, if it only happened under different circumstances.

If he only weren't her uncle.

The door opened, Claire turned around. It was Nikki. A not very happy looking Nikki, which was a rare thing. Nikki was holding something up so Claire could see what…

Oh my God! She'd found it! Claire sat up straight and stared at Nikki.

"Is that yours?"

Claire couldn't make a sound.

"Claire, is that yours?" Nikki repeated impatiently.

Claire swallowed and nodded, there was no way she could deny it.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Nikki said softer than before, because she'd seen Claire's terrified face. If Claire would have a boyfriend, it wouldn't be so hard to talk about this. But there was no boyfriend, Nikki would've known. The awful image had dawned on her weeks ago. But Claire would have never gone so far, she would have never done that, would she?!

Nikki closed the door and sat down next to Claire, facing her.

"Look at me." She said, nearly whispering.

Claire lifted her head and faced Nikki, who lay her empty hand softly on Claire's knee.

"You know you can tell me anything!"

Claire closed her eyes, she was crying again.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't…." Claire pressed out, the rest of her words drowning in her tears.

It filled Nikki with pain to see Claire like that.

"Just tell me it's not Peter. I don't care about the rest."

Claire sobbed and shook her head.

"I can't." Claire put her hand on her forehead and tried hard to stop the tears, but she just couldn't get rid of them.

Nikki was stunned. That was the worst thing she imagined since she was sure that Claire was in love with Peter.

Nikki had never thought it would really happen.

Matt suddenly stood next to her, neither Claire nor Nikki had noticed him entering the room. He must have heard there thoughts.

Nikki stood up and Matt followed her, leaving the in tears drenched Claire in her room.

Nikki hadn't been aware of the fact that Matt couldn't help listening to thoughts that we're connected to strong feelings. Those were too intense for him to ignore.

When Nikki closed the door, Matt noticed for the first time that she was holding something.

"Is that your pregnancy test?"

One look at the expression on Nikki's face and he knew it wasn't hers. He couldn't believe they'd gone this far.

Peter and Claire.

A few months ago it had seemed odd to Matt even consider the two of them as a pair, but after he found out how they felt about each other, it seemed to be quite normal to consider.

"Does Peter know about this?" Nikki asked with a great amount of concern in her voice.

"I guess he does now. If I heard your thoughts, he must have heard them too."

"You should talk to him. I'll talk to Claire."

"What are you going to tell her?"

"I have no idea, I only that she can't keep it. It's…."

"I know what you mean."

Nikki smiled and went back in.

Matt took a deep breath and went down stairs. He could almost see Peter's reaction.

When Nikki entered the room, Claire had stopped crying. She was still sitting on her bed and was pressing her knees to her body.

"I'm not keeping it. I couldn't anyway."

While speaking every feature of Claire's face was strained. Deep inside she knew that nothing she could do, would undo what they'd done.

Meanwhile Matt found himself sitting alone in the living room. Peter had left the house, to fast for Matt to stop him, even if Peter had been visible.

Just a few minutes later Nikki came to join them.

"Peter's gone."

"Haven't you tried to stop him? Have you tried to find him yet?"

How am I supposed to find an invisible guy?"

"I know where he is." Claire had creped in the room, so none of them had noticed.

"Claire, it's fine we'll find…. Wait you know where he is?"

"He's at Charles Deveaux's rooftop."

At Charles Deveaux's rooftop:

How could he do that? How could he do that to them, to Nathan? How could he do that to Claire? He's her uncle. That relation won't just go away and it can't be denied either.

Peter sank on the ground, his back against the cold wall.

He had ruined everything. He had held them back so long, prevented them from doing things, that must not be shared between uncle and niece.

Just one time, he failed. But now it was too late. There was no going back in time to change it.

There was nothing to change the pictures that kept coming back to his mind.

_Peter was holding Claire tightly in his arms. Moments like that seemed to last forever. She looked at him; her hair was bound to a knot in her neck. He gazed at her deep intense eyes. They kissed softly. At first._

_They both wanted it, none of them could deny it. He felt her desire, her lust with every fibre of his body. He was about to hold her back and stop himself from unbuttoning her shirt, but somehow he couldn't bring up enough strength this time. All he knew was that he wanted her._

_Claire was waiting for him to stop them. She knew it wasn't fair to rely on him in that case, but every time they touched she felt too weak to do the right thing. She threw her arms up, so he was able to get rid of her shirt. She felt his bare chest against hers and the next thing she recognised was that they were lying on his bed._

_All she knew was that she wanted him._


	4. Gravity

**Inspired by an amazing Grey's Anatomy episode and Sara Bareilles' "Gravity"**

**___________________________________________________________________________**

Christmas 2010:

„This one's for you! " Claire said, handing the package to Molly. After curiously unwrapping the box of coloured pencils, Molly thanked her and gave her a hug. Then she turned around to show Matt what she'd gotten.

Claire smiled happily at West, who sat next to her. Everyone looked so full of joy, except for one person in the room. Peter. He just sat there and pretended to be as happy as the others. But she could tell he wasn't. Not even Christmas Day could make him smile honestly.

That's how he was like since he came back 3 months ago. Since he'd wanted to be with her again, after letting her down with disappearing for a whole year, and she refused.

He'd gotten the message. He didn't even talk to her if it wasn't necessary. The only thing he didn't quit was watching her every step.

She could feel his gaze resting on her whenever he was in the same room. It made her feel uncomfortable. She was barely able to stand his gaze, it was filled with so many emotions, all gathered in one expression of his face.

And there it was again. When Claire smiled at West and Peter watched her, letting her know how much he wanted to be the one she smiled at. To be honest with herself, that's what she wanted too. But on the other hand, West was perfect for her, he was someone she could rely on. And Peter wasn't, she couldn't even trust him anymore.

Things with West were easy. No complicated confusions, no complicated feelings. He could even make silence feel easy.

Later this afternoon Claire was standing in her room. She was holding a framed picture of West and her in her hands. It had been West's Christmas gift for Claire. It was cute, but in her mind the picture of Peter and her kept creeping back in.

Claire had talked herself into being furious. Why did he have to come back? Couldn't he just stay where he'd been? Couldn't he stop looking at her like that?

Claire rushed into the kitchen.

"Would you please stop it?" She shouted.

"What?" Peter asked, although he knew pretty well what she meant.

"Looking at me like that! You watch me! And _I_ like West! I'm really trying to be happy! But I can't breathe with you looking at me like that. So just stop!"

"Do you think it's easy for me? I know that you and West are together! I tried stopping it, I tried! But I just can't, I simply can't!"

"So why don't you leave then?!"

Claire looked at him one more time and the rushed out of the room, just like she'd come in.

"What next?" Peter asked, obviously annoyed. Claire sat down and stayed silent for several minutes.

"I don't know how to say that." She had calmed down again.

"It's ok." He tried to reassure her, without the slightest annoyance.

"I missed you Peter!" She paused. Peter sat down next to her.

Then she continued:

"I loved you, but you just disappeared. Can you imagine how hard it was for me to not have you around? To not even know where you were or if you were still alive? Can you imagine how much it cost me to give up on you? It felt like giving up a part of me. It broke my heart."

Claire's face was covered with tears by the time she finished.

"I never meant to hurt you." Peter looked pained, he could imagine how it had been like for her. "I'm sorry. But I just couldn't stand seeing you everyday and not being able to be with you. I just wanted to give both of us a chance to leave it behind." He put his hand on hers.

"But it didn't work out. I couldn't stay away from you, let alone forget you." He added softly.

Claire gazed at him. She sort of knew this before he'd actually said it, but hearing him say it made her realize how easy she could have what she wanted. But this time she wouldn't do the wrong thing again. She'd learned from her mistakes. At least that's what she kept telling herself.

"Not a day passed, that I didn't think of you. And when I finally got the news, you refused me, but I know you Claire. I know that it's not too late. And it's not wrong anymore, it never was."

"Peter." Claire sighed sadly. All of the emotions she'd felt the past year seemed to concentrate in this single word.

"I know I screwed things up. I should have been there for you. I shouldn't have gone.

But please Claire, give us a chance."

Claire shook her head slowly.

"I can't. I can't Peter. It's not that simple."

"We both know that you don't love him." Peter stated with a very soft voice.

Claire wanted to protest, but she couldn't make herself lie to him.

Peter caressed her cheek with his hand. His touch felt better than anything else.

She leaned in and kissed him. He kissed her back passionately. He pulled her on the kitchen table and pressed himself against her. She felt his hands moving over body and burrowed her hands in his hair. His hands slipped under her shirt. She slowly slid down her hands down to his chest and they pulled back to catch their breath, when he whispered, "I love you".

Claire opened her eyes.

"I can't." She stood up and rushed out of the room.

When Claire ran up to her room, she stumbled across West.

He had that serious expression on his face and when he saw her, looking so confused, the seriousness mixed with concern.

"What happened?"

Claire didn't know how to answer that question. What did she think? That it would all be okay if she kissed her ex-boyfriend or whatever Peter was? Now she had to pay the price for her naivety.

"Nothing."

"Come on Claire, what happened?"

In that moment Peter reached them. West looked at them. His messy hair, her twisted shirt.

It didn't take him long to figure out what happened.

"I go and pack my stuff." West turned around and disappeared into his room.

"No! West, wait!" Claire ran after him and closed the door behind her, leaving Peter alone.

"Claire you don't have to explain anything. I knew this was going to happen sooner or later.

I'm fine."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't want to hurt you."

West smiled at her.

"It's ok."

"No it's not. It wasn't right to kiss him while being together with you. You can't just say it's fine!"

"Claire, you loved this guy every since you knew him! And he loves you, why don't you accept that you belong together? Nothing's wrong about that."

"But-"

"Let go, Claire. Let go of whatever it is you're holding on to. Just let go."

"I.. I just don't know if I'm ready."

"You're ready, let go."

Things with West were easy. They were even easy to end.


	5. Be be your love

**Inspired by Rachael Yamagatas**** wonderful "Be Be your Love"**

**___________________________________________________________________________**

End of September 2008:

"_Come with me Claire!"_

"_What? Where?"_

"_I don't know. Just leave this behind and come with me!"_

"_No!"_

"_I just want to be with you, but we can't be together here! We can go anywhere, somewhere no one knows us!"_

"_No! No, no, no, no!"_

"_Don't say no because you're afraid. Only say no if you don't want to be with me!"_

"_No!" She shook her head._

_Peter left._

Claire sat up straight. Her skin was sweaty. This had certainly been one of her most heartbreaking dreams. She could barely sleep because of those dreams. Every time she closed her eyes, there he was again. But it was the same with having her eyes open. Every thing she saw reminded her of him. Her thoughts kept sticking to him, clinging to him like they needed something to hold on to. It got even worse after he'd gone off to Washington, to stay with Nathan for a little while. It was odd, but not seeing him moved her even closer to the edge of sanity than seeing him. Two weeks had past, but it felt like an eternity to her.

On the one hand, she desperately wanted Peter to come back and on the other hand she wanted him to stay away, for several reasons. One of them was judging him for what he had done to her, although she knew she couldn't blame him. Another reason for him to stay away was her weakness, or rather their weakness. She felt like reaching for his embrace whenever he'd been around and she knew this was a mutual attraction.

Nikki and Matt were looking after her like she had been an 8-year-old instead of an 18-year-old. They were overprotecting her. Claire could see there point in caring for her, but as Peter was gone there was nothing left to protect her from. And actually it was kind of too late for them to protect her anyway. Claire heard something going on outside probably one of her protectors being worried about her sleep.

Matt threw the door open. Talk of the devil…

"Claire!"

"Are you alright?"

"I'm fine."

At that very moment, Claire's cell phone rang. It was the melody of coldplay's "Viva La Vida".

She grabbed the phone and read the name on the display.

"It's Nathan."

"What's so urgent, he's calling you at such a time?"

"What's so urgent, you're blurting into my room at such a time?" Claire joked, though she didn't feel like joking at all.

"I'll pick up right now." Claire said looking at Matt. Matt looked bewildered at first.

"Oh ...yeah..Right.. I'm waiting outside." But then he got the hint.

"Hello Claire! I'm sorry to bother you in the middle of the night; I hope I didn't wake you."

"No, I'm fine. So what's up? Is everything ok?"

"Well, apparently I don't have good news."

"Is there something wrong? Something with Peter?"

"I guess he's fine but he's gone."

"Wait, he's what?" Claire asked slowly, not willing to believe what Nathan had just said.

"Peter's… gone."

"What does that mean he's gone? I mean he can't just disappear!"

"Actually he can. Look Claire, all I know is that it wasn't easy for him. He told he wanted to start a new life or something."

"A new life? What does that even mean? And where did he go anyway?"

"I don't know where he went!"

"Then find him?!"

"He doesn't want to be found. I don't like it either, but I'm accepting his will."

"Fine."

Claire hung up. She was quite furious, with both, Nathan and Peter. Why did Peter just disappear without a word and what does he want to find wherever he went. How can he just forget about her? And why does Nathan don't want to find him, why isn't he at least trying?

That can't be true. Claire wouldn't let him come away with this, that easy. He can't just leave his past behind, whatever that's supposed to mean. She hit her foot against her bed and then, the truth slowly sinking in, she sat down on the floor. Tears made their way down Claire's cheeks.

"Can I… Claire? What happened?" Matt stepped towards her and bent down.

Claire sobbed. She tried to form words.

"He… Peter disappeared… he wants to start a new life..." She sobbed again and rested her head on her knees, hiding her face.

Matt took her into his arms.

"It's ok." he whispered, though he knew, for now, nothing was going to be ok in the world of the small blond he was trying to protect.

In the morning, Claire was lying in her bed. She hadn't been able to fall asleep again. She was exhausted, in every meaning of the word. She was tired of her complicated family, her overprotecting friends and her life. She was tired of fate pushing her around and playing with her. Sometimes she just wished she could go back in time to stop her from going to homecoming. That has been where it all had started. Where her misery's roots were.

Claire spent the day in her room, she only acme to eat lunch with them.

But as she wanted to get back in her room, Nikki wanted to talk to her. The news had been passed around pretty fast.

Nikki followed Claire to the living room. The room she first kissed Peter. Claire would have drifted away into her memories, but Nikki interrupted her.

"I know this may sound bitter, but maybe it's better this way."

Claire didn't look at Nikki. She didn't want to comment that.

"You could make your own profit out of this, Claire. You could have a fresh start too. Just leave everything that happened behind and move on." Nikki was talking very settled.

"Why is it that you keep telling me that I should forget?!"

Claire continued.

"I don't mean to sound harsh now, but would you ever be able to forget DL?"

"You can't compare this."

"Oh yes I can. I thought you would be the only one who could at least understand a bit of how I feel."

"Claire, we were never in the same situation."

"How would you feel if someone told you to forget about him?"

As soon as she'd said that, Claire regretted it. It wasn't fair to stir in Nikki's wounds. DL had just died a few months ago in a fire. He'd wanted to rescue a girl from the flames and now he was gone forever. Claire felt cruel to have brought this up.

"It's alright, you can calm down now!" But although feeling guilty to pain Nikki, Claire couldn't stand her own pain anymore. But Nikki had hurt her too when she refused to admit the similarity of their situations. She just couldn't calm down now.

"No, I can't! People are letting me down, people I care about, and I just can't take it anymore! I'm not a scapegoat! Why am I always the one who's being left behind? Why am I always the one who's not being supported? Why am I always the one who's being protected even if I don't need to be protected? Damn it, I can't be hurt!"

"Claire I didn't mean it that way!" Nikki shouted, but Claire was already gone.


	6. Since U Been Gone

**I haven't updated for a while now, but I'm back again with a (pretty short) chapter!**

**Tell me what you think!**

**Inspired by Kelly Clarksons "Since u bee gone"**** or said differently, the title just fitted the topic =P**

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October 2008:

Nathan was looking stern. So was Claire. But there was also something extremely vulnerable in the way she looked at her father.

Nearly a month had past without a sign of Peter. No one knew where he was, if he was well, if he was even alive. The issue was wearing Claire out.

The first weeks she'd put all her energy into finding him. She fought hard, she did everything she could, but in the end, no one was willing to help her, and she accepted her failure. Then she grew silent, she missed her classes at college, she didn't care about anything.

Her enthusiasm had grown to despair and her despair had grown to something she couldn't quite define.

"I'm aware that you've had enough of bad news, but this is something really important you need to know."

"Then tell me." She said indifferently.

"Well, I made some research and I found some old company files about Adam Monroe."

Claire looked at him in a questioning way.

"It was about some of his experiments and.. " Nathan took a deep breath, it was hard for him to be the one who had to tell her. "Adam Monroe and the company experimented with test-tube babies. His babies. There were records of an invulnerable girl."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, there's no doubt."

Her face looked way too serious for a girl her age.

"You know Claire, this doesn't change anything."

"Oh Nathan, it changes everything."

Claire turned around and was about to leave.

"He'll be fine."

"What?"

"He'll be fine."

A lonely tear ran down her face.

Claire walked up the stairs. She stopped in front of her room and turned, to look at the door that hid his room. Without intentionally giving them any command, her legs started to move down the aisle. Her hand opened the door and Claire stepped in. His smell was still lingering in the room. She looked around the room and found her eyes resting at the sight of a photo.

She walked towards the commode and took the photo. It showed Peter and Claire half a year ago. She turned it around.

"_I'm sorry,_

_Peter_

_PS: I love you!"_

Claire put into her pocket and looked up into a mirror. She couldn't help herself, but she didn't recognize the girl looking back at her. All the pain she'd suffered was starring out of the mirror and it just didn't look like her at all. Not anymore.

Claire smashed her right fist against it and stumbled back. Her back hit the edge of his bed and everything that had happened slowly sank in.

She slid down to the floor and cried.

Somewhere in Alaska:

"Claire!"

Peter sat up in his bed and looked around the room. He was breathing heavily and he felt confused. Slowly he started to realize where he was.

"What did you just say?"

He looked at the brown-haired woman lying next to him in the bed.

"Nothing."

"Who's Claire?" Caitlin asked him, slightly annoyed.

"No one!"

"Peter!"

"Just let me sleep, alright." He lay down again and turned around.

She lay her hand on his shoulder and leaned over him.

"Tell me." She whispered playfully and kissed his neck.

But he just shook her off.

"I don't want to talk about it. I want to sleep."


	7. Open your Eyes

**I'm going to update the whole story in the following week, I'll probably also change the name of the story, but you'll see.**

**Inspired by Snow Patrols "Open your eyes"**

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Spring 2008:

Peter chewed for what seemed like hours. He swallowed and put another bite into his mouth. He hadn't yet spoken a word, he was too lost in his own thoughts, to follow the conversation of the rest of the family.

But luckily Heidi was fixed on her sons, whose manners were definitely worth increasing and Nathan was self-centric enough so he didn't notice how Peter kept staring straight at his daughter. Peter actually didn't stare, at least he pretended to accidentally happen to watch her. He had never noticed the cute way she put her hair behind her ear. Or the intensity of the sparkling colour in her bright eyes. Neither had he noticed the delicate features of her beautiful face that changed with the game of light and shadow.

Peter had noticed the desirable beauty of his niece.

He just couldn't figure out, how on earth he'd been able to unintentionally overlook those magnificent things all of these years. All he knew for sure, what he couldn't deny, was that he couldn't take his eyes off her anymore.

Claire looked up and met his eyes.

God, she looked so innocent, so delicate. Every fibre of his body suddenly ached for taking her into his protective arms.

She looked bewilderedly, as if to ask him whether everything was alright.

He realised that he had to do something, somehow react to her signs.

Peter smiled at Claire and then concentrated on eating like it was the most complex and interesting thing in the world.

_Tell me that you'll open your eyes_

"Peter?"

He turned around and looked at her.

"What's up?"

"Nothing, it's only… you seem so .. vacantly."

"I'm just a bit..." He paused.

"What?"

"Nothing, nothing. I'm fine!"

"Well if you want to talk about, it you know where to find me."

Claire knew something was wrong with Peter. And he should know that she knew him and that there was something wrong. He should talk to her instead of pretending everything was fine. After all she still was his best friend, wasn't she?

Maybe he'd found out.. But he didn't notice it for 2 years, why should he now?

Claire sighed. He was so blind. How couldn't he see how much she needed him?

He was the person who new her best, he was supposed to recognise stuff like that.

_I want so much _

_to open your eyes _

_cause__ I need them _

_to look into mine_

"I love you" she repeated constantly whispering and hit her head against the wall.

There was a knock on the door. Claire rushed up, combed her hair quickly with her fingers.

"Claire?"

"Come in."

Peter entered the room and closed the door firmly behind him.

I t was pretty dark in Claire's room, so she turned on the light.

Peter took a deep breath.

"Well,… I need to tell you something."

"Is this about your strange behaviour?"

"I guess." He nodded.

"So?" Claire was waiting for an explanation curiously. She somehow wished that what he was going to say mirrored what she should have told him all along, what she felt.

"I'm.. God this is so weird."

"I don't have to tell you again that you can tell me everything, do I?"

"Well, Nikki, Micah, Matt and Molly are moving in, when Nathan's off to D.C.!" Peter felt the need to punch himself for this. This had nothing to do with what he had intended to tell her.

"And that's weird? God Peter I've known this for ages!" Claire joked and laughed although her actual mood made her feel like crying.

"You did? How come I'm always the last one to get the news?" He joined her laughter.

After both of them stopped laughing it grew awkwardly silent.

"I've got to get up early tomorrow so I guess I'm going to sleep now.."

"Oh yeah right! Ehm.. Good night!"

"Thanks."

_All this feels strange and untrue_

Peter walked until he stopped at the door. He turned around.

Claire felt the hope inside of her rising.

"Sweet dreams."

Claire smiled.

"You too."

Then Peter left.

_And I won't waste a minute without you…_

The next day Peter, as well as Claire, acted as if everything was right. But after the last night both of them knew that something between was about to change.

A Week passed and Peter somehow got back to acting weird towards and staring at Claire again.

"Peter, you can't go on like that."

"Like what?"

"You know what I'm talking about."

"Claire.. I'm-"

"No, I don't need an explanation for why you're running around like a ghost, or why you're hardly saying anything, or why you're looking at me like that. I don't need, I don't want to hear this. I only want you to stop this, to go back to being how you were before!"

"Maybe I can't."

"You must."

"Claire you know why I'm looking at you like that. You know why I'm acting like this. And I know that you feel about me just the same way I feel about you."

"You read my thoughts?"

"I could tell without."

"It was pretty obvious after the other night."

"At least _I_ was able to cover it up for 2 years!"

"2 years?"

Claire didn't say anything.

He stepped towards her and put his hands on her upper arms.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

But she tore herself away from him.

"How can you be so blind? Of Course I covered it up, but you're my best friend you know me! You could, no you should have known it from the very beginning!"

"I'm sorry." He whispered.

Peter leaned in. He was about to kiss her when she pushed him away half-heartedly.

"Don't." She formed the word with her lips, but she couldn't make a sound.

"I don't know what I'm doing when I'm round you."

Claire closed her eyes as he let his hand touch her cheek.

"I want to hold you, touch you, kiss you, feel you."

She breathed in and opened her eyes again looking straight into his dark eyes.

Tears started running down her face when she stretched out to press her lips against his.

Their kiss was sweet and full of innocence despite neither of them was innocent.

He wrapped his arms around her tightly and pulled her a bit closer. Her hands were clinging to his neck and shoulder.

Their kiss was pure love.

When their lips parted, she rested her head on his chest.

This moment. It was unique.

He lightly stroke her hair.

"Just let us have this night."

Claire pulled away softly and looked at him with a pained expression on her face.

"No. I'd never be able to part. I can't let this start."

"And what about the kiss?"

"A kiss means nothing."

"Claire, a kiss can change everything."

She turned around.

"So what are we going to do?"

She turned to him again.

"_We_ aren't going to do anything. Because there is no _us_, or_ we. _I'm your niece, end of story!"

"Claire don't be so naïve."

"I'm not being naïve, I just being reasonable!"

"We can't go back to what we were before, even if it was just a kiss."

Claire looked at him furiously. Her eyes were leaky.

She rushed out the room, into hers and shut the door behind her.

He came after her.

"Claire!" He knocked at the door violently.

"No! Go away… go away.. " She kept repeating throughout her sobs.

_I want so much to open your eyes…_


	8. Just Like Heaven

**The title refers to Katie Meluas song "Just like Heaven". I just thought it fits the way Peter and Claire fell for each other^^**

**Please let me know what you think about it! **

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Spring 2011:

Claire had been sitting on the stairs, when Matt had appeared.

"If I get involved with him.. now.. I mean.. it wouldn't be just two people together.. it would be like forever. And I don't know if I'm old enough for this, I mean I'm only 20. What if I miss something?""

She looked at him, searching for answers.

"Claire, you love him and he loves you. I don't get what your problem is. I can only tell you what I told you all along. After all you've been through, why don't you just be happy?"

"And I can promise you," he continued,"you won't miss anything."

She sighed heavily.

"I don't know what's holding me back." Matt heard someone coming downstairs.

"Oh Shit! I totally forgot about picking up Molly! Bye!" Matt explained his leaving to give them a chance to talk.

"Okay."

Peter reached the end of the stairs. He stopped in front of Claire and looked at her intensively.

She avoided to look at him. Somehow she felt guilty for pushing him away every time he got closer to her, ever since West had left.

"Claire, I'm not pushing or something, I just wanted to say that I'm visiting Nathan this week. I'm off in an hour."

"This is dejá-vu." She smiled lightly and finally looked at him.

"I'm going to come back this time." He smiled constrained.

"Okay then I guess I'll see you on Monday."

"Yeah, see you."

Peter went upstairs, probably packing his things.

Claire was still sitting on the stairs.

She could really understand why he was acting so distant. She had caused this situation herself. Actually she could be glad that he wasn't totally pissed off by the way she treated him. All he wanted was to be with her. The one he loved. And she just kept pushing him away because of her childish fears. If she decided to be with him now, it would be forever. Peter and her forever. Wasn't that what she wanted too? To be with him, under normal and completely uncomplicated circumstances?

Claire was confused, what seemed to be a permanent state whenever Peter was involved.

"Peter! Wait, don't go."

Peter looked at her, holding his backpack in a strange way, frozen in an unnatural attitude.

He would nearly have given up hope, nearly.

She stepped closer to him, as he let the backpack drop to the floor.

"I'm scared, I feel like I'm way too young for this. But…"

She stepped even closer to him. He stroke her cheek slightly.

"I love you." She said without a sound, before he crushed his lips against hers. While kissing, he threw his arms around her and held her tightly.

Relieve filled both of them. In some way it was like sealing their relationship.

After pulling their lips apart, they rested their foreheads against each others.

Both of them smiled contentedly.

"I love you too."


End file.
